Honoring the life and service of CO Sarah Grell
 (Top) A caisson carries the body of Sarah Grell to the funeral. (Bottom, L to R) Two DNR helicopters did a ceremonial fly-by at the end of the funeral. The Backing the Blue Line group was on-hand and provided memorial roses for those who attended. Col. Rodmen Smith, director of the Enforcement Division, and other COs saluted CO Grell during the outdoor ceremony.
She died in the line of duty Monday, May 24
Grand Rapids-area Conservation Officer Sarah Grell, who died in a line-of-duty vehicle crash on May 24, left an indelible mark on her community, her DNR colleagues, and even those strangers with whom she interacted in her role as a CO.
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That was extraordinarily evident last week as tributes to her poured in, and as nearly 2,000 people – including hundreds of law enforcement personnel from throughout the United States – gathered in Grand Rapids to pay their respects and honor a life devoted to public service.
Grell, 39, who leaves behind a husband (Gene Grell, who works in the Forestry Division) and three children, was a third-generation CO, following in the footsteps of her late grandfather Jack and her late father Craig.
Her uncle Keith was a CO as well, and other members of her family are or were state troopers. Her mother, Julie, worked at the regional Fisheries office in Grand Rapids.
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 (L-R) CO Tony Elwell played taps during the outdoor ceremony. The DNR Enforcement Division Honor Guard stood watch over and accompanied the casket.
Here’s the text of the final radio call played at the funeral for Sarah, who was known among her District 7 CO partners as “Kid Sister” – “Virginia to K254? Virginia to K254? This is the final call, K254, Conservation Officer Sarah Grell. State Patrol Dispatch to all cars – K254 is out of service. End of watch, May 24, 2021.
We thank you for your 16 years of selfless service. You have influenced many with your unyielding compassion, respect for all people, and service to your community. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten. Rest easy, Kid Sister. We will take it from here. Conservation Officer Sarah Grell, K254, is 10-7.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Sarah’s family.
Take care of your wellbeing
As important as it is to take care of your physical health, it’s equally important to take care of your mental health – especially with how difficult the last year has been for many people.
The state’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can help you find balance at work and at home with a variety of resources, from assisting you with practical tasks to connecting you to counselors or consultative services. All services are free and confidential.
To use the services available to you through EAP:
- Talk to a counselor at any time who can assist you right away. Call 1-800-657-3719 or 651-259-3840.
- Text "Hello" to 61295 to chat.
- Browse a comprenehsive online library of resources at mylifematters.com. Click "Member Login" and enter "stmn1" for the username and password.
- Read more about EAP services on the State Employee Group Insurance Program website.
Questions?
Contact Laura Grunloh or Chrissy Eck if you have questions. For more information about DNR Wellbeing, visit our wellbeing page on the intranet. Employees may use lunch and break times to participate in wellbeing activities, and can seek supervisor approval for any additional time.
Summer vaccine rewards program
DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen joined Gov. Tim Walz on May 27 at Fort Snelling State Park to announce some summer vaccine rewards.
The first 100,000 Minnesotans, aged 12 and older, who get their first COVID-19 vaccine between May 27 through June 30, will be eligible for a special reward.
Eligible people have nine rewards to choose from including a Minnesota State Park Annual Pass or a Minnesota fishing license.
Learn more about the Your Shot to Summer Vaccine Rewards Program.
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COVID-19 vaccine now eligible for wellbeing program points
Now when employees receive their COVID-19 vaccine and report it in Virgin Pulse, they can earn 200 points. Eligible employees who earn 300 points by Oct. 31 will receive $70 off their individual deductible next year.
Participation and Eligibility:
All benefit eligible employees have access to Virgin Pulse and can participate in the wellbeing program. No personal details will be shared with your agency or SEGIP.
Only active employees enrolled in the Advantage Health Plan are eligible for the deductible reward; the reward is not available to employees enrolled in the Advantage High Deductible Plan.
Questions?
Visit the SEGIP Wellbeing page to get started with Virgin Pulse and to review a FAQ about the program.
Contact Laura Grunloh or Chrissy Eck if you have questions.
For more information about DNR Wellbeing, visit our wellbeing page on the intranet. Employees may use lunch and break times to participate in wellbeing activities, and can seek supervisor approval for any additional time.
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Celebrate Pride with MNclusive
June is Pride Month, which is dedicated to commemorating the struggle for civil rights and celebrating the impact of LGBTQIA+ individuals around the world.
Pride was initially started at the Stonewall Uprising against police brutality towards the LGBTQIA+ communities.
Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera were transgender women of color who were important leaders in the first uprisings and beyond; learn more about them.
Take part in Pride through a series of events led by MNclusive, our statewide Employee Resource Group for LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies. Learn more about upcoming events and add them to your calendar; all are welcome!
Video Discussion Series
These sessions will provide an informal space for discussion about LGBTQIA+ issues with your colleagues. Each session will include watching a video, followed by a discussion. Add these sessions to your calendar using the links below.
- LGBTQIA+ in the workplace: Tuesday, June 10, 1 – 2 p.m.
This video discussion starts off with a video that shares the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people in their workplace. Add this event to your calendar.
- Asexuality: Wednesday, June 23, noon – 1 p.m.
This video discussion shares information and interviews with individuals who are asexual. Add this event to your calendar.
Celebrate Pride all year long by joining MNclusive
MNclusive offers events and opportunities you can participate in throughout the year. Sign up to join MNclusive and receive event notification and news.
More about Statewide Employee Resource Groups
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are a network of employees organized around specific identities. These employee-led groups work together to drive results and be a catalyst for building a culture of inclusion across state agencies. ERGs provide opportunities for employees to network, leverage their skills, grow their talent, and make an impact in our workplace. Learn more about our ERGs and how to get involved.
Strong passwords can help protect Minnesota systems
When you create strong passwords, you ensure that cyber criminals are not able to penetrate the state systems and devices we rely on to provide services for all Minnesotans.
Recent ransomware attacks have plagued government services and private companies across the country, jeopardizing data and services for millions of Americans.
The recent Colonial Pipeline attack highlights the need to make sure that systems are always protected, starting with a strong password.
“When we take action to protect state systems against a cyber attack by creating strong passwords, we make sure that Minnesotans can buy their hunting or fishing license, purchase health insurance, or check travel conditions online during a winter storm,” said Rohit Tandon, Minnesota’s chief information security officer and assistant commissioner for Minnesota IT Services (MNIT).
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What you can do to protect state systems
New password procedures from MNIT help ensure that all network passwords are strong. State employees are now required to avoid common phrases and passwords for their login information. Learn how to make a strong password that meets these guidelines.
A weak password creates a risk for you and an opportunity for cyber criminals to target personal and state data to steal information, commit identity theft, and infect devices.
Check out other security tools to protect against ransomware:
Check out the intranet for accounts payable, business expense, relocation information
Information on accounts payable, business expenses and relocation guidelines has been placed on one page on the intranet to serve as a one-stop shop for DNR staff.
This page includes information on business expense forms and training, Microsoft Teams training session schedules, relocation guideline forms, closeout procedures, and more.
For more information, check out the Accounts Payable, Business Expense, and Relocation Guidelines Intranet page.
 Forestry’s tree talkin’ translator: Jennifer Teegarden
 Jennifer Teegarden
By Anthony Hauck, Forestry Division communications coordinator
Jennifer Teegarden is what teachers hope happens on a field trip.
A 5th grade outing introduced her to a boggy bottom blanketed with sphagnum moss, blooming with carnivorous plants (purple pitchers) and infinite with black spruce after black spruce.
It was a forest high from which she’s never climbed down from.
Teegarden - and she’s the first to point out that it really should be TREEgarden - has a knack for turning any conversation into tree talk. Her lunch breaks are spent photographing trees. She’s perpetually amazed when giant trees are swayed by a storm’s powerful winds. And to this day, she retains a childlike desire to simply climb a tree and relax on a sturdy branch in the shade.
In her role as the cooperative forest management outreach specialist, Teegarden is able to turn her soft spot for trees and forests into a hard desire for touting their benefits.
“I encourage woodland owners, homeowners, and communities to actively manage their trees and forests to keep them healthy,” she said.
Healthy forests are resilient forests, and that resilience is a benefit with which Teegarden can particularly relate.
Now a two-decade melanoma survivor, her skin cancer scare effectively ended her dream of becoming a field forester. But it could do nothing to squash her primary love of forestry. After an eight-year career teaching earth sciences and sparking the next generation of peatland pupils, Teegarden returned to her own roots, becoming Forestry’s outreach specialist in 2008. In 2019, she transitioned to the newly-created cooperative outreach post.
As Teegarden sees it, her primary challenge is to develop messages and communication products that take the best forest management practices and translate the technical in ways woodland and homeowners can easily digest. How to Plant Trees - A Pocket Guide and the Best Native Yard Trees for Our Changing Climate tool stand out as examples of a style that centers on plain language without sacrificing creativity.
To create growing and receptive audiences, Teegarden is in the constant motion of partner-building. One moment she’s cultivating for the Minnesota Women’s Woodland Network, the next she’s helping organize Minnesota Woodland Owner Workshops, and then there’s scheming the next Ask a Forester Facebook Live event. Strong teammates - 18 DNR cooperative management foresters across the state – buoy the work. Teegarden will tell you she prefers the shade, but this is where she shines.
“Because talking about trees is my favorite thing!” she said.
What she’s geeking out on at the moment is how trees communicate through roots. For example, a tree under attack by a forest pest sends a message to its neighbors letting them know to put up their defenses.
“How cool is that?” she said.
That’s just trees talking. And Jennifer Teegarden talkin’ trees. And to her, that will always be cool.
 Name: Jen Teegarden
Position: Cooperative forest management outreach specialist, Forestry Division
Office: DNR Central Office
Family: 13-year-old daughter Alexis; dog Paisley, cats Husk and SheShe
Education: University of Minnesota College of Natural Resources – B.S. in Forest Resources; Minor in Community Forestry
Favorite tree species: bur oak (deciduous) and white pine (coniferous)
Dream: To own her own 20-40 acres of woods to practice the forest management she preaches.
Lake Bemidji State Park
I spy a splash of color! Marsh marigolds were in full bloom along the Bog Walk Trail in Lake Bemidji State Park last week.
NOTE: If you need photo assistance, contact Deb Rose in the Office of Communication and Outreach. The DNR has an expansive photo collection covering a wide variety of categories relevant to all DNR divisions.
- Deb Rose, DNR photographer
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